Holding My Last Breath
by Nyaphlaire
Summary: After Claire returns home, she cannot return back to the routine of life, and refuses to open up to anyone and tell them what happened to her at Rockfort and Antartica. Meanwhile, Wesker has Steve's body and is planning something with familiar characters.
1. Hold On To Me Love

**Hold On To Me Love**

"Claire, are you going to be all right?" Chris asked, looking back at his all-too-quiet sister. Claire looked up from where she'd been staring at her fingers and smiled faintly.

"Yeah, I think so. This has been… Really rough." She looked back at her hands. Chris turned his attention back to the control of the small airplane, seriously worried. Claire hadn't said much after they had left the lab in Antarctica, and every attempt he'd made to start a conversation had pretty much ended up the same way. Complete silence. It was because of what had happened to her friend, he was sure of it. The poor kid. Chris wished he could've met him, Claire had been so upset over his death. She still hadn't given her older brother any details of what had happened to the young man. And Chris didn't want to press her for any.

"We should be landing near home in about three hours. Get some sleep." He said, reaching back and patting her knee. Claire nodded and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes and letting her shoulders relax. As Chris watched, a tear slowly slid down one cheek. He didn't say anything. He couldn't think of what he _should_ say.

Wesker grit his teeth as his face entered the most uncomfortable stage of the healing process. The scabbing over. It itched like crazy and _still_ hurt like a sonofabitch. He distracted himself by checking the stasis tube in which he had placed the young Steven Burnside. The boy, although he seemed dead to all eyes, was still alive, if only just. The T-Veronica virus that had spread throughout his body had saved his life. The readings on the stasis tube reported that his ribs had already healed themselves, and there were no more traces of puncture wounds anywhere on his insides. His heartbeat, although slow, was steady.

"Wesker, I believe you're not supposed to scratch." Wesker closed his eyes in annoyance and removed his black-gloved hand from his face in response to Ada's rather obvious statement.

"Thank you for the reminder, Ada." He said coldly, reopening them. She turned away, her face a study in perfect neutrality. Wesker hated the way she was able to achieve that when she was speaking with him. But she had been able to direct the fools that worked under him to where Steven had lain. She had been able to load the boy up and ready the plane to leave. So Wesker put aside his annoyance and handed her the money she had earned. She took it with an almost smirkish smile and pocketed it.

"So, how long until _this_ one wakes up?" She asked in a bored tone that hid her actual curiosity. Not that she as able to hide it from him. He smiled at her and gestured to the screen.

"About two months, if this computer's accurate. Although one is the more likely." Ada nodded, and Wesker could almost see her making a note in her smart little brain. That amused him, the way he could read her like a book when the neutral expression wasn't on. He chuckled to himself and fed more information into the computer.

Two weeks after landing back in California and Claire still couldn't face her memories. She couldn't face the tragedy of Rockfort, couldn't face the horrid, obscene relationship between the Ashford twins, couldn't face what had happened to the man who had helped save her ass. She wandered around town with Chris, or Jill, or Leon. She didn't talk to anyone about what had happened, although she knew they all wanted to know and were worried about her. She just couldn't explain what had happened. She just couldn't stand admitting that she lost someone so important. And that it had been all her fault.

"Hey, Claire, want to go to Suthie's with me?" Jill called, leaning in the door way and smiling at her. Claire looked up from her book and smiled back.

"Sure. We actually going to buy something this time 'round?" She asked, marking her page and standing up. Jill nodded cheerfully.

"Yep! I actually have money!" She said, brushing her short brown hair away from her face and studying Claire. Claire looked away, feeling uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

"Well, at least we can buy stuff. They get all prissy if you don't." She laughed and pulled her shoes on. Jill laughed as well and opened the front door.

"I'll drive. Chris still hasn't gotten you a new bike." She commented. Claire shrugged, flushing slightly.

"If I had known I was going to lose it do to a whole bunch of zombies, I wouldn't have brought it." She protested. Jill's face darkened slightly, but she smiled indulgently.

"Yeah, Yeah, so you say." She said, a smirk starting on her face. Claire sighed and walked out the door.

"If you drop a bottle of perfume on the floor this time, I'm never going to Suthie's with you again." She warned the older woman. Jill looked at her with feigned shock and innocence.

"Me? Spill perfume on the floor? Why would I ever do that?" She asked with an injured tone. Claire laughed and crawled into the car.

Wesker rested his chin atop his laced fingers, watching the computer spit information out at him. Steven's recovery was remarkable, if a tad odd. It had been two weeks, and still the smallest of bruises and cuts were visible. All other apparent injuries were gone, and Wesker couldn't figure out for the life of him why T-Veronica was taking so long to heal these small injuries. It was rather irritating.

"Wesker, coffee." Ada said, entering the hidden lab from the elevator with a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. Wesker took one with a nod, and Ada stood to one side and sipped at hers, examining Steven with an amused look. Wesker could understand why. Where most of those put in "stasis" tubes slept with their arms at their sides, Steven had managed to get into an almost spread eagle position that most teenagers seemed to adopt when sleeping. It was quite comical. Wesker rather suspected that if Steven wasn't in the tube, he'd be snoring. Loudly.

Suthie's All Purpose Shopping Center For Women was crowded and loud. Jill made an apologetic grimace at Claire as she shoved her midnight blue Mini-Cooper in between a black Hummer (which really shouldn't have been in a compact spot) and a red BMW. Claire just rolled her eyes and got out, making sure to ram the car door into the hummer, making a large, white scrape. It was Jill's turn to roll her eyes.

"If that asshole damages my car, you're paying for it." She warned Claire. Claire shrugged, all too aware that Jill was just happy that she was acting like she used to.

"So, where to first? Clothes or accessories?" She asked, closing the car door. Jill chewed her lip for a moment, then shrugged.

"Either or. I'm partial for clothes, but it's up to you." Claire shrugged back.

"Clothes is fine. Let's go." She started off towards the clothing section of the shopping center, Jill hurrying to catch up.

After a couple hours and hundreds of bucks worth of shopping, Claire and Jill left the shopping mall, giving the Hummer an extra couple of kicks before leaving. Jill dropped Claire off back at where she lived with Chris and went home. Claire walked inside and set her bags down in her room, falling onto the bed with an exhausted sigh. She looked at the sleeping pills on her bedside table, but decided against them for tonight. She was so exhausted, she doubted she'd have any dreams worth taking the pills for. If only she'd known how wrong she was…

Claire's eyes opened and she looked around the dark, musty room with confusion. Where was she? What was going on? Steve! She had to find Steve. She ran from the room, looking around desperately. If she could just find Steve, everything would be okay. She could get him out and run to where Chris was waiting. She heard a low scream, and ran towards it, her heart beating faster and faster. The scream, was it him? Oh please let him be all right! She closed her eyes and ran faster. She threw open the door to a room, and saw him on a chair, a battle axe pinning him to the wall.

_This isn't right. Why do I know this isn't right?_ Claire thought to herself, even as she pressed the button that released Steve's arms and tugged at the battle axe. Steve was completely unconscious.

_No, he wasn't unconscious. He was trying to help me get that thing off of him._ Steve's eyes suddenly snapped open, and they were blood red. Blood spurted from his neck and mouth, and Claire backed away in horror.

"Steve?" She asked fearfully. He started to change before her eyes, getting larger and green. Three spikes erupted from his left shoulder, his clothes shredded. He raised his head and stared at her. He removed the axe from where it was still embedded in the wall and started towards her. There was nothing she could do but run.

"Claire!" Was that really him yelling her name? God she had to run faster! He swung his axe and she dropped to the ground, her eyes wide. The axe swished overhead, hitting a suit of armour. Claire was up and running again before the axe could be brought down at her.

"_Claire!" The scream again. How could he still be talking? How could he be yelling her name and trying to kill her at the same time?!_

"_Claire, you need to wake up!" Wait, that wasn't Steve. Who was it?_

"_C'mon, Claire. Shake it off!" That was Chris's voice!_

_Claire's eyes snapped open with a gasp and she stared straight up into the azure gaze of her worried older brother._

"_Ch-Chris!" She got out, gasping for breath and looking around. Chris helped her sit up, his hands gently massaging her back. Claire looked up at him finally, her whole body shaking._

"_You were crying out in your sleep, so I came in here and tried to wake you up. It took me forever! Are you all right? What were you dreaming?" Claire looked down at her shaking, sweaty hands._

"_Yeah, I'm all right." She managed, clasping said hands together. Chris waited for a long moment, holding her gently, then repeated the other question._

"_What were you dreaming, Claire?" He pressed gently. Claire shook her head._

"_I can't talk about it, Chris." She said, lying back down. Chris sat on her bed for a little while longer, then handed her some sleeping pills and a glass of water. He made sure she took them before he left the room. Claire had just enough time left to note that he left the door open before she drifted off into the sweet, dreamless sleep the pills provided._


	2. You Know I Can't Stay Long

**You Know I Can't Stay Long**

Claire was walking down the stairs when she heard Chris talking in the kitchen.

"She was screaming in her sleep last night, and it took me five or so minutes to get her to wake up. She won't even tell me what the dreams are about. Jill, I'm seriously worried about her." Claire stood in the middle of the staircase, wondering whether or not she should go down the rest of the way.

"I understand that what happened was incredibly traumatic, I've been in that situation, Jill. Hell, _you've_ been in that situation! Twice! But whatever happened with Claire has sent her off the deep end, and she won't take the life ring I'm throwing her! I am worried as hell." Another pause as he listened, Claire guessed he was on the phone.

"Damnit, I _know_ that! Don't you think I know that?!" Another pause.

"I've tried. She won't go to a doctor, she won't go to a shrink, she won't talk to me, she won't talk to you. Barry's not even tried because she wouldn't even talk to Leon, who went through the first nightmare along with her!" Claire closed her eyes and swallowed. Her stomach felt queasy.

"I thought so too. She seemed to be doing better. It's been a couple of weeks, I figured she'd at least be willing to tell someone about what happened by now. She even looked willing to open up yesterday, but I had to leave. Didn't you try asking her about it during the two of you's outing?" Pause.

"You didn't want to ruin it? Aw man, _Jill_." Claire turned around and walked back upstairs into her bedroom. She didn't want to hear anymore. It was making her sick. She sat on the edge of her bed and fiddled with a hole in the bedspread.

"_I love you, Claire."_ That had been the last thing he'd said before he'd died. And she hadn't even taken the body with her. And now that bastard Wesker had it! Claire closed her eyes and balled her fists angrily. She stayed that way for ten minutes until she heard Chris on the stairs. She climbed back into bed and rolled over into her sleeping position.

"Hey, Claire, wakey wakey! It's almost eleven. C'mon, don't let the pills keep you asleep." He walked over to her bed and pulled the covers off of her. Claire groaned and tried to pull them back over herself, thanking god that he was doing his normal routine. She finally 'gave up' and sat up. Chris grinned at her.

"Hey, good morning sunshine! Coffee's ready and I made waffles!" Claire blinked up at him, then nodded, yawning widely. Chris returned the nod and went back downstairs, humming to himself. Claire smiled with relief. He hadn't suspected anything. The smell of bacon frying reached her nose and her stomach rumbled. Claire sighed at it and got out of bed again, going all the way downstairs this time.

"Aw, man, couldn't you at least get dressed first?" Chris complained. Claire stuck her tongue out at him and sat down at her place at the table. Chris set a waffle down in front of her and went back to frying the bacon.

"You know what? I think it's a good thing you lived on your own for a while. It taught you how to cook." She commented between bites of waffle. Chris looked over, a mock-offended expression on his face.

"You think I couldn't cook before? I am offended! I must defend my honour!" He hit at her with the spatula, laughing maniacally. Claire's face paled slightly and he froze, mid swat.

"Claire?" He asked worriedly, putting the spatula down. Claire shook her head quickly and picked up her fork.

"It's nothing." She said as calmly as she could. Chris opened his mouth, then shut it again, picked up the spatula, and went back to the bacon. Claire finished her waffle and ate a couple pieces of bacon, then rinsed her dishes.

"Hey, Chris?" She asked casually.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking up from his own waffle.

"I'm going to the park, I need the fresh air." He nodded.

"Good. It could do you good. Want me to come with you?"

"Nah, I need to be alone for a couple hours."

"Claire-"

"I'll be _fine." She walked upstairs and got dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, nothing special. She pulled her boots on, put her hair in it's customary pony-tail, and left the house, a worried Chris standing in the doorway and watching her leave._

* * *

_The park was empty as Claire wandered through it, brooding. The dream had been reoccurring every night she didn't take the sleeping pills. It was causing huge problems for her psyche. The whole incident was still so painful, and she wasn't sure exactly why. It wasn't because it was the first time she'd lost someone. She had experienced that pain before, when her parents had died. No, this ache was that of loss, but it hurt differently. She sat on a bench and watched the leaves sway on the trees. It was nearing the last week of September, which meant that soon the green leaves would be turning red, yellow, and orange, dropping off the trees and dying. But for now, they were still green, and Claire stared at the colour sadly._

"_Oh Steve…" She whispered, remembering the colour of the monster he had become's skin. It wasn't the exact shade, but it was close. Too close for her to deal with. She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes, trying to block off the memories. They hurt so much._

"_Steve…" She whimpered, a sob building in her throat._

"_Claire?" Her head jerked up. No one was there. She looked behind her. No one. And the voice. It had sounded like… No, she was just hearing things._

"_Great, just what I needed." She sighed. She couldn't stay out for too long, Chris would get worried. The conversation between him and Jill came back to her and she let out a frustrated noise. He could at least have the conversations somewhere where it wasn't likely that she'd come into the middle of it. Idiot._

* * *

"_Did you see that?" Ada asked, an interested tone in her voice. Wesker nodded._

"_Yes, I did. Odd. His facial expression, the sudden change… I wonder what occurred." He looked over at the scientist at the computer._

"_Anything on the charts?" He asked the older man. He shook his head and went back to his work. Wesker turned back to Steven and examined the new expression on his face with interest. Where it had been the very image of a sleeping teenage boy only a minute before, it now held an expression of deep concern and confusion. As he watched the boy, Steven's mouth opened and mouthed a word. With the help of Progenitor, Wesker read the lips easily._

"_Claire." A smirk spread across his face as he recalled the young Redfield girl, and how precious Steven Burnside had been to her._

* * *

_It was when the clock struck three that Chris started to worry. He had no idea where Claire was. She hadn't come back since she'd left around eleven that morning. She had said she needed to be alone for a couple of hours, and she hadn't contacted him at all. He fiddled with the phone cord, wondering whether or not he should call Jill. He sincerely doubted that Claire would have gone over to her place without telling him, but… He picked up the phone and dialed. After a couple of rings, Jill picked up._

"_Hello?" She asked warily._

"_Hey, Jill, it's me, Chris. Sorry to call you, but, have you seen Claire? She left around eleven this morning and I haven't seen her since…"_

"_Oh, Chris! Yeah, I saw Claire an hour or so ago. She walked past the house looking pale, so I went out and talked to her, saw if she was all right. She said she was, and I could tell I wasn't going to get any other response, so I let her go." Chris muttered a curse under his breath._

"_Damnit. Why didn't she tell me she was going to wander the town? She said she needed a couple of hours to herself, but this is ridiculous."_

"_Chris, she's nineteen. She's been through Hell. She needs her privacy." Jill reprimanded him. Chris sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb._

"_I know that. I just… I worry." He admitted, feeling like a stupid, over-protective, older brother. Jill made a sympathetic noise, then gave off an exclamation that made him nearly drop the phone._

"_Jill?! What's going on?!"_

"_I just saw her, give me a second!" She replied, and there was a noise that sounded suspiciously like the handset being dropped. Chris sighed and waited._

* * *

_She really hadn't wanted Jill to come running when she walked past her house the first time. Had she known another way to where she wanted to go, Claire would've gone that way, instead of pass by the house a second time. Just as she had earlier, Jill came running out._

"_Claire! Claire, wait!" She shouted. Claire closed her eyes momentarily in exasperation and turned to face Jill, an annoyed expression on her face._

"_Yes, Jill, what is it? I'm trying to get somewhere, so can we make this quick?" She asked, trying to be polite. Jill skidded to a stop and caught her breath._

"_Your brother's on my phone, looking for you. I think you should talk to him before continuing on your way." She said, running a hand through her hair, a habit that Claire suspected she had picked up from Chris._

"_Fine, I'll talk to him for a little bit. But I really am busy." She sighed and followed Jill in to have a quick conversation with her brother._


End file.
